This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In general, conventional shock absorbers produce damping force characteristics based on a velocity of a piston rod that translates relative to a body of the shock absorber. The shock absorber includes a valve through which oil flows during movement of the piston rod. A pressure differential is generated within the shock absorber based on the configuration and location of the valve. The working pressures provide a resistive or damping force between the piston rod and the body of the shock absorber to provide a desired damping force characteristic of a vehicle's suspension.
Electronically adjustable shock absorbers are also available. These shock absorbers produce damping force characteristics as well but the damping force is adjustable over a damping force range. As such, electronically-adjustable shock absorbers may provide multiple damping force characteristic curves for the same piston rod velocity.
Both conventional and electronically-adjustable shock absorbers may exhibit a lower magnitude of damping force than desired if an insufficient oil fluid volume is present in the shock absorber reservoir chamber or if the fluid is aerated. Many shock absorbers are configured as twin tube shock absorbers where the reservoir contains both a liquid oil fluid and a pressurized gas within the same chamber. The oil fluid level within the reservoir changes during shock absorber operation but the shock absorber is configured to maintain a minimum oil level at all times. In certain shock absorbers, the physical position of the valves relative to the liquid level in the reservoir may induce a mixing of gas and liquid thereby aerating the liquid oil. A resultant lag of damping force occurs due to the compressibility of the gas within the liquid. It is at least one object of the present disclosure to mitigate aeration of the liquid within the shock absorber to minimize a lag in providing a target damping force.